New Delhi, February 16, 2026: The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), in collaboration with UNDP India and the Gates Foundation, organised a high-level CSR conclave to explore corporate partnerships for the implementation of the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (DDKY), a national initiative aimed at improving farmer prosperity.
The conclave brought together around 65 participants, including senior government officials, corporate CSR leaders, financial institutions, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and development partners. Representatives from companies such as Unilever, Reliance Foundation, ITC, Axis Bank, TCS, and JK Cement participated in discussions focused on identifying collaboration opportunities under the scheme.
Launched in October 2025 for a six-year period, DDKY aims to cover 100 districts nationwide. Inspired by NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme, it is the first national programme to strengthen agriculture and allied sectors through a district-level approach. The scheme seeks to enhance productivity, promote crop diversification and sustainable practices, strengthen post-harvest infrastructure, improve irrigation facilities, and expand access to both short-term and long-term credit. Implementation will involve convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 central departments, along with state programmes and private-sector partnerships.
Addressing the gathering, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi emphasised the need for deeper private-sector engagement beyond financial CSR contributions. He highlighted opportunities for companies to support the deployment of Young Professionals in districts, strengthen FPO linkages, undertake farmer awareness initiatives, and promote climate-resilient practices.
The role of financial institutions was also underlined, particularly in supporting schemes such as the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) through focused outreach and financial inclusion drives.
Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative of UNDP India, noted that CSR investments aligned with national priorities such as DDKY can strengthen public systems and enable scalable impact for smallholder farmers. She highlighted FPOs as key vehicles for improving farmer incomes and creating livelihood opportunities in underserved districts.
Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director (Gender Equality) at the Gates Foundation, stressed the importance of catalytic partnerships to strengthen farmer livelihoods and scale sustainable agricultural models.
During the event, Canara Bank was recognised for a CSR grant of ₹50 lakh to support a DDKY district, reflecting the role of financial institutions in district-level agricultural transformation.
Technical sessions at the conclave explored financing mechanisms, climate-resilient agriculture, convergence with rural livelihood missions, and frameworks for aligning CSR investments with DDKY priorities. Corporate representatives shared experiences of working with FPOs, highlighting long-term engagement, capacity building, technology adoption, and robust monitoring to achieve measurable outcomes.
The Department invited interested companies to engage further through its weekly webinar platform for DDKY districts, focusing on strengthening value chains, improving market linkages, and mobilising long-term financial commitments.
The conclave is expected to facilitate structured collaboration between government and corporate stakeholders as the programme enters the implementation phase, with the objective of improving productivity, resilience, and income opportunities for farmers in priority districts.
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